San Jose State University
 
 
 
Welcome to our February 2024 Newsletter!
 
 
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As they say, “Don’t be self-conchas.”
[photo of pan dulce catered by Dulcinea Baking Company on 2nd Street]
When I began teaching almost twenty years ago, I was extremely self-conscious. My newly-minted authority in the classroom didn’t yet feel it belonged to me. I didn’t want to dress too “young,” undermining the little authority I felt, but I didn’t have money for a more serious wardrobe. I could barely focus on what my students were saying because I was too busy cringing at what I had just said. I assumed that when students giggled or whispered to each other, it was about me. 

Luckily, as I gained experience and confidence over time, I began to set my self-consciousness aside and not take myself so seriously. In fact, I came to learn that when students were whispering, they were often helping each other decipher my whiteboard scribbles. The more I relaxed, the more I could simply be in the moment and engage in meaningful conversation with the level of engagement I asked of my students. This lesson had applications beyond the classroom, extending to meetings and occasions when an event was being photographed or recorded. Have I been caught on camera at a less-than-flattering angle? Has my Zoom screen frozen as I was making a weird face? Of course—because it happens to us all, and life moves on!

Letting go of self-consciousness enables us to focus on the people around us and the experiences that help us grow. I still have to remind myself of this. Here are three strategies that can help to get out of your own head and overcome self-consciousness:

  • Hide the self view on Zoom. While you can turn off your video at any time, you also have the option to remain visible to others while hiding your own display. It is liberating to no longer watch yourself during a meeting and get distracted by your expressions!
  • Stop comparing yourself to others. Academia breeds competition, but you don’t have to buy into it. Celebrate other’s accomplishments, knowing that you have your own strengths and are moving forward on the timeline best for you.
  • Remember that everyone grapples with self-consciousness. You can spend hours mentally replaying your comment in a meeting that didn’t come out as eloquently as you intended. But it can help to remember that your colleagues did not pay as much attention and were likely focusing on their own remarks and even doubting themselves.
I encourage you to release any self-consciousness you may be feeling. SJSU is a better place because of your unique contributions. You are no more or no less than anyone else, and only utterly human like the rest of us!

Sincerely,
Magdalena Barrera
Vice Provost for Faculty Success

 
 
 
Updates from the Center for Faculty
Development and eCampus
 
 
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The SJSU Martin Luther King Jr. Library and Center for Faculty Development + eCampus have developed a three-hour, self-directed course designed to provide guidance on selecting accessible, low- or no-cost course materials from authors with diverse backgrounds. 
For more information and to apply see the Audit Your Syllabus Course Application. 
The application deadline is February 26th! The program will run from March 4 to May 24, 2024.
 
Apply Here
 
 
 
 
 
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In collaboration with Adobe, eCampus and the Center for Faculty Development are hosting a hybrid event for faculty and staff to discover and discuss topics that impact curricular activities and best practices in the use of Adobe Creative Cloud solutions in the classroom. The SJSU Adobe Digital Literacy Day 2024 will take place on March 5th from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Join for as many or as few sessions as your schedule permits. Review the agenda below and register to reserve your spot.
9:00 a.m. Welcome from the Provost, Center for Faculty Development, eCampus, HonorsX, and Adobe

9:15 a.m. Panel with faculty from CSU Creative Campuses - Topic: The Impact of AI: Social Responsibility/Bias/Ethics and Creativity

The panel will explore how creativity can get impacted by the ever-changing AI infused digital landscape. Faculty will share their perspectives about AI with a focus on social responsibility, bias, and ethics.

Series of Brief Presentations by Faculty and Adobe
10:00 – 10:25 a.m. - Tina Korani, SJSU “Generative AI in Photoshop and Firefly” 

10:30 - 10:55 a.m. - Donna Caldwell, Adobe “Content Authenticity”

11:00 - 11:25 a.m. - Christopher Paolini, SDSU "Introducing Undergraduate Students to the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm, using Adobe Audition together with FFTW/C and SciPy/Python"

11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Marjan Khatibi, SJSU “Multimodal Visual Storytelling on Identity, Belonging, and Community Beyond Borders”

Hands-on Workshop
12:30 p.m. Collaborative Adobe Design Activity and Laser Printing - Free Takeaway! Join us for lunch at the library lower level and participate in a collaborative workshop. Led by Raymond Lam, SJSU Adobe Trainer and Instructional Designer, groups will collaborate to design Adobe vector artwork that will then get printed using the laser in the Prototyping Lab.
 
REGISTER
 
 
 
 
 
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Appointment Scheduling allows you to manage your availability and let your students and colleagues book appointments with you directly within Google Calendar via your personal booking page. This is done using one unique link that can get shared via email or posted in Canvas.
 
 
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Set aside time for Focus within your Google Calendar. To reduce distractions, you can schedule a Focus Time event in Google Calendar. When you schedule a focus time event, you can mute chat notifications and automatically decline meetings.
 
 
 
 
 

CSU Online Course Services 
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, SPRING 2024

CSU Online Course Services offers quality assurance professional development courses for tenure-track faculty and lecturer faculty. Review the OCS Course Decision Tree to identify the course to fit your needs. These different trainings highlight best practices when designing hybrid and online courses. This includes QLT - Introduction to Teaching Online, QLT-Advanced Course in Teaching Online, QM - Applying the Quality Matters Rubric, and QM - Improving Your Online Course.  All courses are taught by Certified CSU Facilitators, who are faculty and/or instructional designers with extensive experience and training in teaching and evaluating online courses. Visit the program website for additional information and to register.
 
 
 
 
 
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February
19: Getting Started with Qualtrics, 2:00 - 3:00 pm
21: Adobe Audition for Podcasting, 10:00 - 11:00 am
22: President Teniente-Matson Investiture Ceremony
22: eCampus Office Hours: Polling, 12:30 - 1:00 pm
26: Adobe Premiere Rush Quickstart, 12:00 - 12:30 pm
27: Lecturer Lunch & Learn: What I Wish I Knew When I First Started, 12:00 - 1:30 pm
27: Adobe Audition Quickstart, 2:30 - 3:00 pm
27: Annual Evaluations: Department-level recommendations shared with faculty
28: eCampus Office Hours: Polling, 2:00 - 2:30 pm

March
1: Sabbatical: Decisions released to candidates
5: SJSU Adobe Digital Literacy Day 2024, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
6: ArcGIS Online Intro, 2:30 - 3:30 pm
8: SJSU Official Syllabus Workshop, 2:00 - 3:00 pm
8: Post Tenure Review: Candidate packets due in eFaculty
11: Mini Review: Departmental Evaluations shared with candidates
11: Range Elevation: Final Decisions released to candidates
12: Cumulative Evaluations: Candidate packets due in eFaculty
27: Lecturer Lunch & Learn: Wellness & Time Management, 12:00 - 1:30 pm

April
1: Campus closed
1-5: Spring Recess
9: SJSU Official Syllabus Workshop, 10:00 - 11:00 am
9: Annual Evaluations: College-level evaluations due to faculty
15: Cumulative Evaluations: Department-level evaluations shared with faculty
16: Getting Started with Qualtrics, 9:15 - 10:15 am
18: Post Tenure Review: Department-level summaries sent to faculty
29: Mini Review: College-level evaluations sent to candidates
 
 
 
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Academic Life Without a Smartphone: “While there are many reasons to avoid smartphones, almost no one does: their presence has a high cost on both the cognitive and social aspects of academic life—which is to say, the essence of what we do.”
The Incalculable Benefits of an Advisory Network: “It expands upon the idea of mentorship and broadens who can help you make decisions as you chart your career journey.”
The Scientific Case for Two Spaces After a Period: “A new study proves that half of people are correct. The other is also correct.”
 
 
 
 
 
Do you have a story, highlight, reading, or tip that you would like to share in this newsletter? 
Please reach out anytime to  [email protected] . 
 
 
 
 
 
Contact Us

Magdalena L. Barrera, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Faculty Success
[email protected] | 408-924-2405
Center for Faculty Development
[email protected] | 408-924-2600
Jennifer Redd, Ph.D.
Senior Director, eCampus
[email protected] | 408-924-2337
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San Jose State University
One Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95192

 
Last Updated Feb 27, 2024